The sweet smell of cigar smoke lures patrons down a desolate industrial stretch and into a sophisticated change of scenery. Amid deep burgundy hues, exposed brick walls and dark wood cases, gentlemanly aficionados and novices alike burn down the lounge’s own line of hand-rolled and aged cigars, which are prominently displayed around the bar. Between conversations from plush velvet sofas and barstools, clients can also quaff bottled beers, wines and vintage ports.

NY Mag says:

The sister lounge of the cliquey East Village smoking den of the same name stages its Caribbean colonial hospitality via coconut fronds, a red mosaic-tile bar, one faux-hewn-wood floor, and front windows that open wide to keep things from getting stuffy. Mundane pictures of happy cigar smokers grace the walls while unguarded real-life puffers–a mix of bar-weary lounge lizards and bleary, satisfied customers from Peter Luger–grouse about the state of the neighborhood. The draw? Velvet’s two dozen varieties of cigars, rolled with tobacco from a farm in the Dominican Republic. Because of New York’s cruel-joke smoking laws, stogies can’t be paired with hard liquor, but the wine list, the port selection, and dark bottled beers like Magic Hat and Aventinus aim to hook the aficionados of tomorrow.